Hyundai has a yet again renewed version of the Tucson in the development rooms, a car that you should not expect in the Netherlands in that form.
Hyundai’s international model range is not always easy to understand. For example, an Elantra and an Avante are basically the same cars, but in different markets they have their own body. Then there is the Santa Fe, an SUV that looks slightly different in China than in Europe and also smaller brother Tucson is not the same in China as in Europe. It’s that Chinese Tucson that has been updated again.
In mid-2018, Hyundai presented the facelifted version of the Tucson intended for the European market to the world. Until then, the Chinese and European variants were virtually identical, but that soon changed. A few months later, the Chinese variant was optically addressed in its own way (photos 4 and 5). The Chinese Tucson received a completely new grille with strikingly concave outer lines. Strikingly sharply drawn headlamps were placed on either side of the grille, and the Tucson was fitted with a light bar at the rear that connected the taillights. Now Hyundai is making design changes again, although they are much smaller than before. Hyundai smooths the curved lines in the grille that were added two years ago and now allows the chrome-colored frame of the grille to run a bit under the headlights. No changes on the engine level, which means that this Chinese Tucson will also be available again with a 177 hp blown 1.6.
The Tucson also has a brother in China who has ix35, which is special. The first generation of the Tucson was in Europe succeeded by a car called ix35, but in 2015 passed the baton again to the current Tucson. In China, the car we knew as ix35 never really disappeared. Although the Chinese ix35 has had a completely new and own body since 2017, old ix35 technology is still hidden under the skin (photos 6 and 7). The renewed Tucson is therefore in China next to its redesigned predecessor on the price lists. Sister brand Kia has a similar policy in China with the Sportage.